Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Water is the most valuable and vital resource for the existence of life and also for any
developmental activity. About 80% of the earth surface covered with water. Out of the estimated
1,011 million km3 of the total water present on the earth, only 33,400 m3 of water is available
for drinking, agriculture, domestic and industrial consumption (Dara, 2007). Bangladesh is a
low-lying flat country with big inland water bodies, including some of the biggest rivers in the
world and is extremely vulnerable because of its geographical characteristics (Matin and Kamal,
2010).

The increasing urbanization and industrialization of Bangladesh have negative implications for
water quality where the industrial effluents directly discharge into the rivers without any
consideration of the environment (BCAS, 2000). There has been a growing concern over the
possible contamination of soils, sediments and water systems around many of the industrial areas
of the countries (Chowdhury et al., 2007). Huge quantities of industrial effluents, solid waste
from river-side settlements, petroleum products from ships, launches, cargoes, boats, untreated
sewage etc. regularly get dumped into the Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakshya rivers, which
are already severely polluted (Khan et al., 2007). The surface water along these peripheral rivers
of Dhaka city is known to be highly polluted due to municipal and industrial untreated waste
waters that are discharged into these rivers (Kamal et al., 1999; Karn and Harada, 2001). The
Turag river originates from the Bangshi River. The Turag flows through Gazipur district and
joins the Buriganga at Mirpur in Dhaka district. The Tongi Khal links the Turag with the Balu
River (Choudhury and Choudhury, 2004). The entire regime of the Turag is almost a semi-funnel
shaped basin and its catchment is located on the central and southern part of the Madhupur tract
and flows from north to south within the basin and its length is about 40 miles and 15 miles in
wide to the maximum. The average width and depth of the river are about 218m and 13.5m,
respectively. It has a total area of 386 square miles (Uddin, 2005). From 1989 to 2009 mean
daily discharge (cms) data had been collected from Bangladesh Water Development Board
(BWDB). Among these years, the supplied data had been missing for 1994, 1995 and 2007.
The Turag river is the upper tributary of the Buriganga, a major river in Bangladesh. This
industrial area possesses about 29 heavy industries. Most of the industries discharge their
effluents directly or indirectly into the Turag river without any treatment causing pollution of the
surface water. Moreover, many sewerage and municipal sewage drainage system have become a
dumping ground of all kinds of solid, liquid and chemical waste that polluted the river bank.
Both organic and inorganic waste effluents that are discharged into the Turag River water
adversely interacting with the river system and deteriorating the water quality of the river. For
this reason, water causes the adverse effect of surrounding land and aquatic ecosystem as well as
subsequent impact on the livelihood of the local community (Meghla et al., 2013; Rahman et al.,
2012). The major pollution sources of Turag River water are various consumer goods industries
(soap and detergent), garments industries, pharmaceuticals industries, dyeing industries,
aluminum industries, battery manufacturing, match industries, ink manufacturing industries,
textile, paint, iron industries, pulp and paper factories, chemical factories, frozen food factories
and steel workshop etc. (Rahman et al., 2012). The River Turag running by the side of the Dhaka
City, the capital of Bangladesh, is one of the most polluted rivers in Bangladesh. Complex
mixture of hazardous chemicals, both organic and inorganic are released into Turag river water
resulting in different chemical and biochemical interactions in the river system and thus
deteriorate the water quality. For this reason water causes the adverse effect of surrounding land
and aquatic ecosystem as well as subsequent impact on the livelihood of the local community.

The Turag River has been declared as ecologically critical areas (ECA) by the Department of
Environment. Study on Turag River water quality was carried out in different time by
Department of Environment (DoE, 2001). The values of different physiochemical parameters are
continuously changing at an alarming rate in this river water. The scientists all over the world are
searching the causes of water pollution, sources of water pollution and trying to find out the
ways to prevent the water pollution as well as environment from pollution. The study was
conducted to know the existing status of different physiochemical parameters of the Turag River
by analyzing contaminants propagation model. So it is very important to compile the available
data and at the same time consider new data to understand current status and trend of water
quality of the Turag River and their manifestation in the aquatic organisms and impacts on
surrounding environment. In this study, the water quality parameters:

were estimated at different locations of Turag river.

1.2 Scope of the Study

Keeping all this views in mind, the study was performed to assess the current status of
physicochemical parameters of the Turag River water by knowing the soil and water
contaminants details including their time of activity, amount percentage of each contaminants
propagating towards the upstream and downstream. For describing these informations, water
propagation model is being used to assess the study. It measures the mobility of a substance in
soil and water. By estimating environmental distribution and environmental exposure level of a
chemical substance, the pollution scenario can be determined. It will give the actual data of the
parameters which will be needed to locate those specific over concentrated critical areas and also
to minimizing the health risk of living habitants of those area.

Water Distribution Network analysis is being done to assure the safe drinking water and supply
for the local people. It will ensure higher water quality and exact quantity. It may be able to
achieve the rapid health gains among the local people.

Soil water partitioning also being done to determine the per amount of selected contaminant is
being absorbed in soil from water or not .If absorbed then the concentration can also be
determined .By this, most concentrated pollutant can be specified and usage of that substance can
be alternated or minimized .Directly and indirectly it will help to create a positive impact on the
environment and the people.

Heavy metal propagation model also analyzed using the data to determine the concentration of
heavy metals and separate this genre from the usual contaminants. As metals cause harmful
health effect to the local habitants, it will be easier to minimize these if the concentration is
known by the propagation model in different location.

to find out the protective measures to mitigate the pollution level of this river water.
1.3 Objective-
 To assess the current pollution scenario of Turag river by contaminant propagation
model.
 To study the soil- water partitioning of contaminants.
 To analyze the effect on ecology.

1.4 Organization of the Thesis work

This thesis of four chapters illustrates the necessary steps taken to achieve the above-mentioned
objectives.
The thesis is organized as follows:
Chapter 1 describes the content of the study at a glance. which discusses about the contaminant
properties and water quality parameters of Turag river.
Chapter 2 describes the introduction of Turag river with all the details of the study area and data
collecting points.
Chapter 3 describes previous studies of Turag river or any other dynamic and numerical model
which are used in this study. Different kinds of model description which are related to this study,
the methodology of developing propagation model is also included in this chapter.
Chapter 4 illustrates the results, conclusion and recommendation of the study.
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